The Known/Unknown Quantity

Chapter 167: Interviews Part 3

Chapter 167: Interviews Part 3

"I was tuckered out, gone to the world," Crowley said. "And he's just going about his business, humming, doing his silly routine, and all of a sudden my stupid unconscious ass has to turn over, and bingo, he sees blood and stripes."

                Newt eyes widen. "You were beaten?"

                "M'yah."

"As a—punishment?"

"Naw, just a deterrent. They thought I was scheming. And they still wondered. Don't remember whot they suspected. Like it mattered, times and all."

                "Things were different now. They weren't just going to leave you alone anymore."

                The demon nodded. "Yeah, and I've learned to be more careful, since then."

                "Ouch."

                "Yes, but knowing that, I get away with so much more. Anyway, back to the flog marks being discovered by our intrepid angel. The reaction was whot you've come to expect from Aziraphale. He sees it: he goes bananas. Starts bathing my back, replacing the sheets, and popping in on a regular basis to watch over me, and check the wards. Keeps looking over his shoulder, and complaining to me about it, and moaning how he misses me, stuck there, as if I asked him to. Didn't have to hang around. He cycled through a whole bunch of emotions."

                There was a pause. Newt put the pen down.

                "Must have been like dealing with a comatose patient. Except eventually I'd wake up. But he couldn't get me up, warn me. Couldn't reach.....I really shook things up, whatever I was planning. Hell and Heaven sent agents. I guess....I guess he had to hang around...after all."

"He wasn't that heavy. Just awkward," Aziraphale sighed. "And the longer I ran, the wearier I became. I just knew I had to find a safe place somewhere."

                "Why not fly?"

                "Get spotted. They'd expect that. The cover of trees was a blessing."

                "How did you catch wind of them?" the witch asked.

                "Crowley had an alarm system, of sorts. And if it went off, you knew things were dire. Only the highest-ranking demons are strong enough to break Crowley's wards, and if it's serious, or personal, enough for them to bother, then you'd certainly didn't want to stick around!"
"That didn't wake him up?"
"Anathema, that beating was so severe. It took so much out of him..."

                "Never mind. How did you know it was Hell after you?"

                "Could smell the brimstone. Rank! Honestly, I didn't bother to ask who they were, I pulled him up and fled. And after so long, getting closer to our trail, I found the only place safe enough for both of us: a graveyard church."

                "It didn't burn him?"

                "No, it's all very odd. Those churches never have. I'm not sure for the others, although they do love graveyards. They skulked around the perimeter while I coward inside with him tightly in my arms. I felt I would bite into someone's neck if they came any closer!"

                "Awwww."

                "It was a strange feeling, at the time. I learned much about myself that night. Eventually, they left. They couldn't find us. I masked him, and myself, or so I thought."